Police warn of robberies outside Near North bars

At least twice recently men have been robbed in the early morning hours after stopping to talk with a woman or a group of women outside neighborhood bars on the Near North Side, police said today in a community alert. A later alert described two apparently unrelated robberies on the South Side.

In two listed attacks on the Near North Side, the men were robbed of cell phones and money, either by the women themselves or by two male associates after luring the victim into a nearby SUV "to party," police said in the alert.

One robbery happened Jan. 6 about 2:30-3 a.m. on the 2000 block of North Halsted Avenue, and another took place Jan. 13 at 2:30 a.m. on the 900 block of West Armitage Avenue.

One robbery took place in a black SUV, while, in the other, the women jumped into a waiting black SUV and fled. Police said the vehicle possibly was a Pontiac.

No weapon was displayed in either case, police said.

The alert says general descriptions vary on the robbers, but the suspects are one to three women about 27 or 28 years old, and the two male suspects are 20 to 30 years old.

Anyone with information is asked to call Area Central detectives at (312) 747-8380.

In another alert also released today, police warned of two recent armed robberies in the Chicago Lawn police district on the South Side.

In those attacks the victims were approached from behind, a handgun was placed their back and property was taken.

One attack took place Jan. 12 at 8:40 p.m. on the 6500 block of South Claremont Avenue and the other happened Monday at 6:45 p.m. on the 2500 block of West 65th Street, police said.

Descriptions of the robbers vary, but generally the alert says they are one to three men, one about 25-30, 5-foot-10 and 185-200 pounds, with the others 20-29, 5 foot to 5-foot-5 and 120-140 pounds.

Anyone with information about these robberies is asked to call Area Central detectives at 312-747-8380.